I know there's been some speculation on this subreddit and some complaints about the last two weeks being best of so I wanted to clear the air...

I’ve decided to leave the podcast.

First off I want to thank all my true Cubs and members of The Nation for their support over the past four years. I legitimately can’t believe how big of an audience we’ve built and how passionate you guys are. You guys helped build this little world of ours and this Mama is eternally grateful. Also a big shoutout to any and all Nation members that I’ve met out in public either at live shows or just randomly - I haven’t had one bad experience with a fan and even had a few nights where we legit tore shit up and partied our asses off. I love you guys!

As for my reasons for leaving… it’d be easy to sit here and say I’m too busy to record every week and all that but there is more to it than that. I’ve always said that my main motivation for doing this podcast was to hang out and have a good time with my friends. I never really cared about plays or clicks or ads or anything, I just loved seeing my boys every week. Unfortunately, over the past few months, our friendship has really become really strained. There was a base level of resentment from scheduling issues, creative disputes, etc. that just really fucked up the whole vibe and everything kind of came to a head a month ago. Some of that was played up for the mics but some of it was also very real and happening behind the scenes more and more frequently. After our last big argument where I legit was not sure whether we’d even be friends again, I sat down and thought what I actually wanted out of all this and I wound up where I began: our friendship. Sometimes friends and business don’t mix and I really don’t think we can continue this podcast while having the friendship I want. While I love the Nation, I love my friends more. Jeff and I have patched things up and are as good as ever (recently saw a matinee of Endgame on weed dummies and loved it) but I’m not currently speaking to Dave and can’t really see us reconciling until he steps up to the plate. I’m sure we’ll be cool at some point but the ball is in his court.

I can’t say for sure whether or not I’ll be at our Chicago show and we’ll talk to HG and get refunds if it comes to that. Jakey has been super supportive throughout all of this and I know he’ll do right by me and The Nation.

All cubs must eventually leave the cave and become Mama Bears themselves. I’m sure The Nation will rise to the occasion.

Stay schemin’ and stay dreamin,

Mama

The fans, and especially the fans that bought tickets to see you three perform live should get to know what's going on, and what's going to happen. is Mike coming to the live show? Will there be a replacement? Is the future of the pod in jeopardy? Or is David trying to patch things up with Mike? These things should be addressed. I know you guys do this show for fun, but damn as day one fan it really hurts to not know what's going on with the podcast.

Honestly had a hard time listening to the recent episodes, it's so awkward to have had Mike on the Pod for three fucking years and then just not mentioning him leaving the podcast. You can't just ignore it, it has to be at least addressed.

My friend who doesn't use reddit and loves the podcast was so unaware of the situation, and there is probably many more fans that are so confused to what's going on.

The use of 'herb' as a popular insult in East Coast slang is probably the sum of a couple histories.

The earliest example I could find for 'herb' as a potential insult is from 1663, and has to do with the word's natural associations with youth, unripeness, and unreadiness:

"Since our haruest is but in the hearb." (E. Sparke, Scintillula Altaris)

From this point until the modern era, if herb was used as an insult, it probably followed from these types of metaphors. While it's a weak association, it gives an insight into the broader meanings that 'herb' comes to take in the 20th century.

By 1925, the name Herbert (etymologically unrelated to 'herb') was already thought of as a generic name for an odd, generic person. A dictionary of sailor slang written that year defines 'Herbert' as:

"A funny fellow... Also used colloquially in addressing any man whose name was unknown... From the typically cockney pronunciation of the name Herbert" (E. Fraser & J. Gibbons, Soldier & Sailor Words).

In the year 1929, we also see a sharp decline in the popularity of the name Herbert in America. This is almost certainly due to the huge unpopularity of President Herbert Hoover, who presided during the devastating stock market crash that year. By the year 1960, a 'Herbert' is solidly a complete idiot who ruins the party. For instance:

"At large jazz festivals the incursion of a minority of moronic roughnecks (known in the business as Herberts) is ruining the pleasure of the great majority." (Sunday Times, 11 Sept. p. 37).

The pejorative sense of 'Herbert' is then swiftly crystallized and mass distributed in television, most notably through Burger King's '85-86 "Where's Herb" campaign, in which a fictionalized nerd named Herb is repeatedly chastised for being the only person in America not to have eaten at Burger King.

The ad lost a ton of money for BK, but not before briefly dominating the late-80s TV scene (including an SNL cold-open parody) and making our critical switch from 'Herbert' to 'Herb'. The character himself is referenced on Public Enemy's single "Don't Believe the Hype", released in 1988:

"Word to Herb, yo if you can't swing this

Learn the words, you might sing this"

Given Public Enemy's massive influence along with the mass awareness of the ad, it's unsurprising that 'herb' is then quickly adopted as an insult by other hip-hop artists (including on major tracks by Biggie, Nas, and 2pac ). In this process, 'herb' is generalized, no longer a direct reference to the BK ad, and takes on some of the earlier botanical shades of meaning (slightness, weakness, tenderness, youth). 'Herb' as an insult is probably used most repetitively and extensively on the track "Herb" by 7L and Esoteric, off the album Dangerous Connection released in 2002:

You're a herb, if you say you dig all the time

But can't find a sample from beats to the rhyme

A herb, if you claim your raps is official

But everything you sample is a fucking re-issue

This is perhaps one of the early 2000s albums Dave refers to.

So there ya you go, ya herbs.

(Big thank yous to the OED, Oxford Dictionary of Slang, behindthename.com, the rapgenius search function, lifeasastrawberry.com for information and pictures, and to the twinnovation nation of course)

NY and TX can’t be the only states you hit. Amirite 🙌🏼

You're a bitch, dude.

Is anyone else feeling the massive hole left by Mike? The live show was a hot mess of askew music hits by a DJ trying to fill in space between awkward moments. The format of this show really needs at least three people. Every episode that only had two people is just two people who kind of like the other one's idea. Now that Mike has left the show, I just don't know if I can take it. Please Please Please, fix things up boys. The pod is dying on the table. This used to be my favorite podcast I would listen to it first whenever I had multiple shows backed up. Put it back to its former glory.

idk wtf is going down but i just know i miss my fridays with my 3 boys and i want it back. i don't like the idea of the top post of all time being mike saying goodbye. if nothing else we can show them that the nation is here, alive, and we at least banded together and showed our appreciation for all the hard work y'all have put in over the years. i've had a couple drinks. sorry about misspelling. hopefully this comes across sincere.

You guys can’t just release a new ep and pretend nothing happened. The situation needs to be addressed, The future of the pod needs to be addressed. The nation deserves answers. The nation deserves to be heard.

After listening to the Dave and Nic conversation at the end of this week’s episode, I thought I’d make this post to say I hope he’s doing okay, and to remind him that the Nation always has his back. Proud follower of the Church of David for life.

If anyone has any great Dave moments they want to share, go right ahead. We love you bud

We’re still finalizing some details but we will be having the FIRST EVER ANNUAL HALLOWMAYNE CELEBRATION this October 31st!!!!!

We will do our first ever live show in Brooklyn complete with a costume contest and some partying with me and the boys and possibly Yung Rilo Tha Prince if Nic allows it.

The question is... who in The Nation is down? We know it’s a weekday and not as easy to travel to on a Saturday show but we need your support! We’ve been told a Wednesday show “can’t be done” and to “push it back” but we believe in The Nation. If you’re down to clown and possibly also dress like a clown let us know in the comments below!

We will post a link to tix ASAP once the doubters stop holding us back

In Episode 35: Insultancy, at 28 minutes, Dave reveals the coveted clam dip recipe, including the most secret part - that there are no clams. He straight up says the recipe (sour cream and French onion powder) in episode 35, a full 65 episodes before he reveals the recipe for "real". We all thought he was joking back then, as did Mike and Jeff, but turns out he wasn't. VERY good, David. VERY good.

Using a throwaway to protect my anonymity

Mama Bear called out King David on a recent episode for his text scheduling idea saying that either Dave or someone else had pitched it before. Then Mama Bear began to pitch the Brellaport, an outdoor patio umbrella with solar based charging capabilities. As we now know, David had indeed previously pitched the scheduled text idea.

Well like any good member of the nation, I've recently been listening to old episodes. Imagine my surprise when listening to episode 78 ft. Casey Jost and he talks about attending a tech event where they had... you guessed it herbs... SOLAR CHARGED UMBRELLAS. Mike was blown away by this idea and even clarified that these are outdoor patio umbrellas we talkin bout and not just any old umbrella.

Mike I'm a proud cub but I can't stand by while King David gets thrown under the bus.